This issue brief summarizes developments in the field including a growing research base, an increased understanding of high quality practice, and system-level efforts to improve quality. It provides recommendations for advancing the field on research and practice.

This issue brief provides a summary of the increasingly robust research base on key characteristics of high quality programs and the resulting child outcomes. It also refers to the many valid and reliable measures that exist to examine program effectiveness, including the California Afterschool Outcome Measures Project.

This issue brief provides a review of the research on benefits of school-community partnerships for students and families. It identifies features of effective partnerships (complements academic efforts with enrichment, supports transitions across school years, helps programs to gain access to students, to staff, and to resources).